Testimonials
Cooke & Arkwright are extremely professional and have carried out a number of successful appeals on behalf of SWP.
South Wales Police
Liz has been an absolute star, providing excellent support and great professional advice. We have been working on very complex acquisitions/CPOs and the process has been made so much easier by her enthusiasm and friendly approach and has been a great addition to the team. Cooke & Arkwright have made a very complex acquisition and CPO strategy so much easier with their excellent and friendly professional advice. They have been a great addition to the team.
Caerphilly County Borough Council
The service provided has been excellent and the one team approach has worked really well. Graham Davies has been exceptional and provided a first class service supported by John Day and Phil Angell. The service we received from the whole team at C&A has been outstanding and I would recommend C&A without reservation.
Newport City Homes
Jane Shankland is very approachable and responsive as well as having sound all round experience of rating law. The Council has benefited greatly from Jane’s support, sound advice and skill and the Council will continue to use her services.
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Cooke & Arkwright advised ABP over the life cycle of its major waterfront mixed use development schemes in Cardiff and Barry. The quality and commitment of their people working alongside us were a key factor in the successful delivery of those schemes.
Associated British Ports
Cooke & Arkwright have been providing rating valuation advice to The Welsh Rugby Union Limited (“WRU”) and Millennium Stadium plc for many years. They were recently successful in achieving substantial reductions in the assessments of the Millennium Stadium, covering both the 2005 and 2010 rating list. These negotiated reductions yielded savings of c.£3.5m which, crucially, allows the WRU to re-invest in rugby throughout Wales. They advise the WRU across the group portfolio including the National Centre of Excellence in the Vale of Glamorgan. The valuation issues across the WRU portfolio are complex requiring a high level of understanding of the funding and finances of professional sport in Wales. Cooke & Arkwright’s experience and understanding of these issues and application to the rating valuation have yielded these substantial negotiated reductions. The WRU and the Millennium Stadium entrust our work to organisations with the required levels in experience and expertise in dealing with these complex issues. I am glad to say we have this expertise in Wales. I would have no hesitation in recommending ratepayers making use of this Welsh based expertise.
Welsh Rugby Union Group
The Leekes Retail and Leisure Group have substantial property assets within the group and have engaged Andrew West to appeal against rating assessments on these properties since 2010. We have consistently been impressed by Andrew's knowledge of the property market and his negotiating skills have been exceptional. Given Andrew's outstanding performance, we would not hesitate to recommend Andrew to any business large or small seeking to appeal their rates liabilities.
Leekes Group
Mansford has expanded its investment portfolio over the last few years. Over this time Andrew West has provided us with a full rating valuation service which has involved giving a view on liabilities prior to acquisitions, as well as conducting negotiations with Valuation Officers on our UK estate. The portfolio includes a wide range of properties from shops, offices and pubs to major leisure schemes. He has been particularly successful in mitigating our liabilities to empty property rate, which has been an issue on acquisition prior to implementing our development and letting strategy. I have no hesitation in recommending Andrew's expertise in rating valuation for all property types. The profile of property within his portfolio and the successes achieved are testament to his position as an extremely accomplished rating practitioner.
Mansford LLP
Cooke & Arkwright has advised Network Rail on a wide variety of development sites in South Wales from Mon Bank in Newport to Radyr Sidings in Cardiff. They bring a high level of commitment, technical expertise and knowledge to the successful disposal of complicated development sites."
Network Rail
Cooke & Arkwright has advised Telereal Trillium on a wide variety of development sites and properties all over Wales . They consistently deliver the levels of local knowledge, expertise, initiative and successful outcomes that you need when running a large UK wide portfolio.
Telereal Trillium
Cooke & Arkwright have been providing Newport City Council with rating advice for over 20 years. Andrew, Jane and Huw provide a personal and professional service and have an excellent knowledge of the Council’s assets which has enabled the Council to achieve substantial rate savings. A useful service offered is the status report which provides us with a snapshot of what appeals have been made and appeals outstanding throughout the life of the List. I would recommend Cooke & Arkwright Rating Services to any company wishing to procure up-to-date and professional rating advice.
Newport Norse
The disposal of 120,000 square feet on the Heads of the Valleys Industrial Estate was a particularly satisfying task. The building had been rebuilt following fire damage, and Jeremy Symons and his team were successful in identifying a nearby purchaser looking to expand. The sale price, at £4,000,000, represented a record sale price for a property of this nature in the area, and with great tenacity and endeavour was completed in a timely fashion. An excellent result.
Richard Hayward Properties
I have worked with Jeremy Symons over the past three years successfully leasing and buying property in support of my business. I continue to be very pleased with his knowledge of the market and expertise. Our relationship over this time has resulted in acquiring 20,000 sq ft at Capital Business Park in Cardiff, leasing 11,000 sq ft at Southpoint, and subsequently leasing an initial 42,000 sq ft at Parc Bedwas, followed by a succession of expansions of a further 11,000 and then 47,000 sq ft, enabling us to centralise all of our operations at Parc Bedwas in a single 100,000 sq ft facility. The acquisitions were completed at the perfect time for tenant purposes and the rent fixed throughout the term at very economical rates. A job well done.
Aerfin
Barclays have a long standing relationship with Cooke & Arkwright who continue to provide us with first class service and advice.
Director Real Estate Team, Barclays, South West and Wales
Cooke & Arkwright have provided independent property consultancy services to the College for a number of years. This advice has included property valuations and negotiation around property acquisition and disposal, rent reviews and the preparation and negotiation of the College’s farm business tenancy agreement. The College has consistently received an excellent and professional service from Cooke & Arkwright and their valuable support to the College is recognised and appreciated.
Coleg Gwent
Blake Morgan committed to 29,000 sq ft office in the exciting Central Square development. We retained Ben Bolton and his team some time ago to advise and appraise options in the lead up to this significant move of our Cardiff Office. The business is extremely pleased with the outcome and Ben's negotiations and attention to detail was a major part to this.
Blake Morgan LLP
Cardiff Waterside is a significant property holding for Aviva Investors at almost 500,000 sq ft. Our experiences show the benefit of working with a regional specialist where occupational markets can be unlocked with a good team with excellent local contacts. Ben Bolton and his team have done this for us for many years and been fundamental to our success and a very low void rate in Cardiff.
Arriva Capital Waterside
Cooke & Arkwright have looked after our property assets in South Wales for many years. Their knowledge of the South Wales market coupled with enthusiasm and willingness to go the extra mile has ensured we keep ahead of the market.
Rockspring